wells



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. H. WELLS.

FIRE ESGAPB.

Patented Dec. 18, 1888 N. Pneus Pnmmuwnyw. vll-mgm. a c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) W. H. WELLS..

PIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Dec. 18, I1888.

IIHIIIIIIMIIII UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

VILLIAM H. IVELLS, OF CHRISMAN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES L. KENTON, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,625, dated December 18, 1888.

Application filed May 3, 1838. Serial No. 273,223. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: lower section and is arranged within the same Be it known that I, IVILLIAM H. IVELLs, a and guided vertically by the guides G. Across citizen of the United States, residing at Christhe bottom of the section H extends a pair of man, in the county ot' Edgar and State of bars, I, which are arranged on the outer side 5 Illinois, have invented new and useful Imof apair of vertical standards, K, which pro- 55 provements in Fire-Escapes, of which the folject from the center of the bottom of the baselowing is a specification. section and are provided at their upper ends My invention relates to improvements in with pulleys L.

tire-escapes; and it consists in the peculiar M represents a shaft, which extends longi- 1o construction and combination of devices, that tudinally through the frame A, in the center 6o ,will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and of the same, and has its bearings in the crossparticularly pointed out in the claims. beams at the ends of said frame. Secured The object of my invention is to provide a rigidly to the said shaft near one end thereof fire-escape which is arranged on a truck that and bearing against the inner side of one of 15 is adapted to be readily transported through the cross-beams of the frame is a ratchet- 65 the streets of the city or town, and is adapted wheel, N. to be extended verticallyto any desired height O represents a gravity-pand, which is pivand inclined toward the burning building, so oted to the said cross-beams and normally enas to form a descent-ladder to facilitate the gages the teeth of the said ratchet-wheel.

2o escape of the inmates; and afurther object of Near one end of the shaft M and bearing 7o my invention is to provide means for loweragainst the front end of the frame A is seing timid and helpless persons from the wincured a friction-wheel, P. dows of a burning building without injury. R represents alever, which is pivoted at its These objectsI attain by the mechanism illuslower end to the cross-beam at the frame A,

25 trated in the accompanying drawings, in and S represents a friction-strap which has 75 whichone end rigidly secured to the said cross-beam,

Figure l is partly an elevation and partly is then passed around the friction-wheel P, a vertical sectional view of a fire-escape emand has its opposite end secured to the lebodying my improvement when the same is ver R.

3o extended to its full height. Fig. 2 is a similar Suitable cranks, T, are attached to the ends 8o view showing the fire-escape lowered. Fig. of the shaft M, by means of which the latter 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the may be rotated, as will be readily understood. line x of Fig. 2. Fig. l is an end elevation U represents a pair of ropes which have of my improved llire-escape. their lower ends attached to the central por* 3 5 A represents a rectangular horizontal basetion of the shaft M, and are then passed up- 85 frame, which is supported on a front axle, B, ward on the inner sides of the standards K, and a rear axle, C. The said axles are each over the pulley I., and have their upper ends provided with supporting wheels or rollers D, rigidly secured to the bars I at the base of by means of which the ire-escape may be the section H. The latter section has anti- 4o readily drawn through the streets. From the friction rollers V, journaled on the upper rungs 9o side beams of the frame A, and near the corof opposite sides thereof. ners thereof, projectfourverticalcorner-posts, IV represents a pair of ropes which have E, inclosing a rectangle, the sides of which are their lower ends attached to the lower sides formed by horizontal rungs F, which connect of the base-section and have their upper ends 45 the posts E in pairs, as shown. On the inner attached to the lower sides of the section H, 95 corners of the said posts are secured vertical the function of the said ropes being to limit guides G. The Vposts E and the rungs F form the upward movement of the section H in the the lower or base section of the escape. base-section. c H represents a similarly-constructed sec- X represents a section which is similar in 5o tion, which is somewhat smaller than the construction to the sect-ion H, somewhat roo smaller 'than the same, and is arranged and guided in suitable corner guides, Y, with which section H is provided. The section X has ropes Z attached to its lower side, passed over the rollers V, and attached to the upper sides of the base-section. A further series of similarly-constructed sections are nested one within the other and arranged in the section H and adapted to telescope, each interior sect-ion having its lower sides connected to the upper sides of one of the outer sections by ropes similar to the ropes Z, lwhich pass over rollers that are similar to the rollers V. To the extreme upper end of the inner or upper section is pivoted a crane or arm, B', which has a block or pulley, C', at its outer end, and suitable guy-ropes, D', are attached to the said crane or arm, whereby the latter may be swung in any desired direction. Attached to the telescopic sections of the escape at suitable points are aseries of ropes, E', which are provided at their lower ends with hooks or rings F', which are adapted to be .readily grasped by the hands.

Gr'y represents an elevating-rope, which is attached at one end to a suitable winch or windlass, H', secured on the base-frame, and

the said rope is passed through the pulley C" of the crane-ar1n B', and has asuitable basket or sling, I', attached to its lower end. The said rope is of sufficient length to `extend to .the crane-arm at the top of the escape, and from thence downward to the ground when the escape is extended to its full height.

The cross-beams .at the ends of the baseframe are each' secured to one of the axles near the clamping-nuts R' at their upper end. The

, side beams of the base-frame, which are arranged in proximity to the plates M', are provided with elevating-screws S', the lower ends of which are adapted to bear on the axles.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

The fire-escape is in its initial position when all of the sections are lowered and nested one within the other. 'Vhen thus arranged, the

fire-escape may be readily drawn to a burning building, and when arranged in front of the same and at a suitable distance there'- ofthe `arrow in Fig. 4:.

4 and each succeeding innersection is raised in its fellow outer section by means o f the ropes' Z, as will be readily understood, so that all axles, the plates L' forming the pivots or hinges on which the base-frame turns and the slots in the plates M' serving to limit the inclination of the base-frame. By thus inclining the base-frame the lire-escape is inclined toward the burning building, as will be'very readily understood, thus causing the depending ropes attached to the sections of the fire-escape to swing against the wall of the building, where they may be readily grasped by persons in the windows of the building, who by means of them swing themselves from the building' to theescape, and then descend theladder on the side rungs thereof. Y

By reason of the guide-ropes the crane or arm may be swung in any direction, sonas to direct the sling or basket, when the ladder is raised, to any window orbalcony of tl1ebuilding, from which persons who are unablevto descend by the escape may step into the basket or sling andbe safely lowered to the ground. j

In order to lower the fireeescape, so as torestore the same to its normal collapsed condition, a number of men grasp the lever R, so

IOO

as to cause the strap S to be tightened sufliciently on the friction-wheel P. The pawlvlis then disengaged from the ratchet, and the shaft is caused to turn slowly in a retrograde direction, so as to uncoil the ropes U, and thereby permit the sections of the escape to slowly descend.

By adding a sufficient number of sections to theescape the latter may be adaptedto be raised to the top of a building of any height.

I am aware that ithas been heretofore proposed to provide a fire-escape with telescopic nested sections, el evating-ropes connecting the same together in pairs, pulleys or guides therefor, and a winch and ropes attached IOS connectingl the base-section and the lowermost movable section, substantially as described.

2. The lire-escape having the nested telescoping, sections and the crane or arm pivotally attached to the upper end of the uppermost section and adapted to be swung in a horizontal plane, the guy-ropes attached to the crane, and the hoist suspended from the said crane-arm, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the supporting-axles, the base-frame secured to and adapted to be tilted thereon, the telescoping sections snpported on the base-frame, and the screws S', engaging' the base-frame and bearing on the axles, whereby the base-frame may be tilted, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a fire-escape, of the base-frame supporting the nested sections, the supporting-axles arranged under the baseframe, the bolts extending through the baseframe and through the said axles and having the adjustable clamping-nuts, and the setscrews for raising and lowering one side of the base-frame when the clamping-nuts are loosened, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a fire-escape, of the base-frame supporting the nested sections, the supporting-axles arranged under the baseframe, the hinge-plates L', connecting` said base-section at one side to the axle, the slotted plates M', extending from the axles near their opposite ends, and the bolt projecting from the base-sections and working in the slots of the said plates, substantially as described.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM H. \VELLS.

lVitnesses:

WILLIAM S. BoMAR, ISAAC SCOTT. 

